Updated Feb 2021. Here are the steps you need, safety steps you can take in the meantime. Lock your profile using privacy settings
The second part is trickier as Facebook makes money from the information you share on Facebook and sells it to advertisers, while also giving them access to your Facebook network and friends so that they can increase their marketing reach.
Changing your Privacy Setting is best done on a desktop. You can find them under Settings.
Below is the first setting you need to change.
Change from “public” to “friends” or “specific friends”.
You can also block specific friends in the “Friends except for option”. Learning to block and delete is a huge step in building up your privacy settings and protecting yourself from annoying friends who tag too much.
(In the below screenshot, we have indicated where to find your privacy settings in the left-hand column, as well as how to change from “Public” to “Friends”)
We encourage you to go through the additional options available, as you can limit your postings by location too.
Your location settings can be found in the same column as your privacy settings.
Additionally, you can opt-out of former groups as well including Schools, Employers, the four a side squad from 10 years ago that you have no interest in.
There are extra options available, you might like to switch off the option for anyone to get your email address or phone number.
A great setting option from Facebook is “restrict viewings of your older posts” - which allows you to limit views of posts you posted publicly years ago to friends only.
This setting is especially handy if you posted in error or in-haste - quietly withdraw embarrassing, inappropriate, nasty, silly posts from sight.
Here are some further great options from Facebook, the one we like is “Review posts you are tagged in” - this is in the Review section below.
If we had to pick one below that would be the one however we suggest that you look at each of the options beneath - for example, the first option “Who can post on your timeline”. Perhaps you have a friend, mum or someone who doesn't respect boundaries, rather block them.
Block, Delete, Ignore are some of the best buttons on the net. Get to love them and use them freely.
Not feeling the love. Start ignoring, reporting, blocking. Trespassers will be prosecuted
Now that we have your privacy settings secured and your timeline and online activity more protected, let’s move on to “avoiding annoying advertising”. This is easier and quicker to do.
There are only 3 or 4 things to do here.
The first thing you can do is check out ‘Your interests’. These are not always entirely accurate and you might discover that you have an unhealthy interest in heavy-duty sub-artic diving suits that you had no idea you had.
Facebook doesn’t always get it right but this is the data that Facebook is serving to its advertising partner companies, which then push relevant product/service adverts onto you.
Once you have cleaned up your “Interests” head to Ad Setting (third from bottom) and simply hit “switch off”.
Disable / Switch all of the following off:
Switching off the above would go along in terms of protecting you and your family online
Lloyd Figgins, a former soldier and international risk expert, says that all travellers should be way about posting their whereabouts on social media.
“Criminals have long used social media to track the movements of their victims,” he said. “Reduce your chances of becoming a target by only posting updates once you have moved on from a particular place or event. Never post plans of where you are heading next or where you are staying – this will help criminals to target you.
“Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by thinking that it’s only your friends who can see your posts. In many cases, this is not true. Depending on your security settings, you should also be asking yourself who can see what your friends are 'sharing' or 'liking' allowing more of the internet to see your posts. You might not even know the people who end up reading your fabulous holiday diary and who, more to the point, know where you are.”
Insurers say you need to be careful, and if you tell the world you are on holiday, then you are liable not them. John Terry former Chelsea captain found out. Posted photos of his 2017 skiing trip, he didn't just get robbed once, he got done twice. The burglars took their time too, they got away with £600,000 in jewels and more. Insurers denied his claim completely and he sued, and Judge Susan Tapping agreed with the Insurer, saying 'It might have been a mistake to post a family photograph on social media to show ...
Our internet safety talks for kids, teens and businesses offer great insight into the risks involved with irresponsible social media activity. We explain the importance of privacy and protecting your online reputation.
Each age group is addressed appropriately and given the information relevant to their specific social media challenges.
As we dive deeper into digital and our online world becomes bigger, more accessible and more dangerous – internet safety and teaching children and employees “how to stay safe online” is becoming more and more critical.
It’s impossible to shelter our children from cybercrime entirely, however, by gearing them with the correct knowledge you can offer a level of protection through education.
Additionally, educating our youth about the importance of a positive online reputation will assist them greatly not only now, but also in many years to come.
Your online reputation follows you for the rest of your life and things made public online will often remain public even when removed. Screenshots, saving images and now saving posts on Facebook make it almost impossible to guarantee that a post is removed entirely.
Together with our online safety talks, we sell some of the world’s best internet safety software and antiviruses. Free antiviruses and Free VPNs no longer offer you sufficient protection.
Nord #1 Selling VPN in our store
Our products are extremely affordable, come with great service support and can be purchased from the comfort of your home.
Visit our online store or contact us for more information about our internet safety talks and internet security products.
Online Reputation Privacy settings Trouble with TikTok
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